Prompt: Build a SWOT Analysis

SWOT analyses are either genuinely useful strategic tools or pointless exercises that fill a slide deck. The difference is specificity. "Strong brand" as a strength tells you nothing. "87% brand recognition in our target market compared to 34% for our nearest competitor" tells you everything.

This prompt forces specificity so you can actually prompt build swot analysis ai output that drives decisions.

The Prompt

Build a SWOT analysis for the following business:

COMPANY: [Name, what you do, size/revenue]
INDUSTRY: [Industry and current market conditions]
TARGET MARKET: [Who you sell to]
TOP 3 COMPETITORS: [Names and their key advantage over you]
RECENT CHANGES: [Any major shifts in last 6 months - new product, market change, team change]
GOAL: [What strategic decision is this SWOT informing?]

For each quadrant, provide exactly 5 entries. Each entry must include:
- A specific, measurable observation (not a vague statement)
- Evidence or data supporting it
- Strategic implication (so what?)

STRENGTHS: Internal advantages. What do we do better than competitors? What unique resources do we have?
WEAKNESSES: Internal limitations. Where do we lose deals? What do customers complain about?
OPPORTUNITIES: External factors we could exploit. Market trends, competitor gaps, regulatory changes in our favor.
THREATS: External factors that could hurt us. Competitor moves, market shifts, economic conditions.

After the four quadrants, provide:
1. TOP STRATEGIC PRIORITY: The single most important action based on this analysis
2. QUICK WIN: Something we can do in the next 30 days
3. BIGGEST RISK: What happens if we do nothing

Rules:
- No generic entries. "Growing market" is not an opportunity. "AI adoption in [industry] grew 40% YoY creating demand for [specific solution]" is an opportunity.
- Each entry must be specific enough to act on
- Strengths and weaknesses must be things within our control
- Opportunities and threats must be external forces

Making It Useful

The GOAL field is the most important input. A SWOT for "should we enter the UK market" produces completely different results than a SWOT for "should we launch a new product line." The analysis needs a lens.

Beyond the Matrix

After generating, follow up with: "Based on this SWOT, identify three strategic options ranked by expected impact and feasibility. For each option, outline the key assumptions that must be true for it to succeed."

The SWOT is the diagnosis. The strategic options are the treatment plan. One without the other is incomplete.

Updating Over Time

Run this quarterly. Compare each quarter's SWOT to the previous one. What moved from opportunity to strength? What threat materialized? The trend across SWOTs is often more revealing than any single analysis.

Build These Systems

Ready to implement? These step-by-step tutorials show you exactly how:

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• How to Create an AI Meeting Recording Analyzer - Analyze meeting recordings for action items, sentiment, and key decisions.